Italy’s August retail recovery leaves annual sales volume lower
Italy’s retail sales volume rose 0.1% in August after two months of declines, with food sales leading the monthly recovery. Sales value increased 0.3%. The improvement left volume below both the previous three-month period and August last year, while online sales and large-scale retailers recorded annual growth in value and volume.
Economics & Markets··Night
Food sales lead August’s monthly recovery
Italy’s retail sales rose in August after two months of declines, according to figures released on 2 October by Istat, the country’s statistics institute. Seasonally adjusted sales increased 0.3 per cent in value and 0.1 per cent in volume from July. The monthly recovery was concentrated in food sales. The value measure tracks sales in money terms, while the volume series removes the effect of prices from the retail trade figures.[1], [2]
Food sales value increased 0.8 per cent from July and food sales volume rose 0.5 per cent. Non-food sales value was unchanged, while its volume declined 0.1 per cent. The increase in total monthly sales therefore accompanied different movements in the two main product groups: food improved in both measures, while non-food goods were flat in value and lower in volume.[1]
Three-month sales stay below the preceding period
For June–August, total retail sales value fell 0.3 per cent compared with the preceding three-month period. Sales volume declined 0.5 per cent in that comparison. Food sales fell 0.4 per cent in value and 0.5 per cent in volume. For non-food goods, sales value declined 0.1 per cent and volume fell 0.4 per cent. These comparisons cover the three-month totals rather than August alone. Both product groups contributed declines in value and volume over that longer interval.[1]
Annual volume falls despite growth in online sales
Compared with August 2025, total retail sales value increased 0.5 per cent but sales volume declined 1.0 per cent. Food sales rose 0.9 per cent in value and fell 0.4 per cent in volume. Non-food sales increased 0.2 per cent in value, while their volume declined 1.3 per cent. Computing, telecommunications and telephone products recorded a 6.7 per cent annual increase in sales value; footwear, leather and travel goods declined 4.1 per cent.[1]
Large-scale distribution businesses recorded annual growth of 1.1 per cent in sales value and 0.1 per cent in volume. Online retail sales increased 5.4 per cent in value and 3.6 per cent in volume compared with the previous August. Both channels recorded growth in the price-adjusted measure as well as in money spent.[1]
